Bridge Biotherapeutics said that it has entered into a collaborative research agreement with HitGen, a Chinese new drug candidate discovery firm.

The partnership aims to initiate the development of a first-in-class targeted cancer therapy against a newly identified target.

HitGen has proprietary DNA-Encoded Library (DEL) technology, a platform that enables the screening of potential drug candidates. The company offers solutions for small molecule drugs, including targeted cancer therapies, and other therapeutic modalities. With a library containing over 1.2 trillion small molecules, HitGen's platform allows for the rapid and efficient identification of optimal drug candidates.

Bridge Biotherapeutics plans to use this partnership to strengthen its existing oncology portfolio, which is currently centered on epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR TKI) therapies for lung cancer, by developing a new cancer drug candidate targeting a new target.

The company aims to rapidly identify, optimize, and secure lead compounds within the next year.

"By partnering with HitGen, a company with proprietary screening technology, we will accelerate the discovery of new targeted cancer therapies," Bridge Biotherapeutics CEO Lee Jung-kue said. "We are committed to developing drugs that could offer therapeutic effects even in cancers with challenging genetic mutations."

HitGen Chairman and CEO Jin Li also said, "We are pleased to collaborate on the discovery of innovative cancer drug candidates using HitGen's screening platform."

By combining the two companies' expertise, HitGen will expedite the development of new cancer therapies, Li added.